Identifying management zones in agricultural fields and generating planting plans for the zones

ABSTRACT

In an embodiment, yield data representing yields of crops that have been harvested from an agricultural field and field characteristics data representing characteristics of the agricultural field is received and used to determine a plurality of management zone delineation options. Each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, comprises zone layout data for an option. The plurality of management zone delineation options is determined by: determining a plurality of count values for a management class count; generating, for each count value, a management delineation option by clustering the yield data from and the field characteristics data, assigning zones to clusters, and including the zones in a management zone delineation option. One or more options from the plurality of management zone delineation options are selected and used to determine one or more planting plans. A graphical representation of the options and the planting plans is displayed for a user.

BENEFIT CLAIM

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 as a Continuation of application Ser. No. 16/555,602, filed Aug. 29, 2019, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 15/352,898, filed Nov. 16, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,398,096, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. The applicants hereby rescind any disclaimer of claim scope in the parent applications or the prosecution history thereof and advise the USPTO that the claims in this application may be broader than any claim in the parent applications.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright or rights whatsoever. © 2021 The Climate Corporation.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The technical field of the present disclosure includes computer systems programmed with operations that are useful in agricultural management. The disclosure is also in the technical field of computer systems that are programmed or configured to generate management zone delineation options for agricultural fields using digital map data and pipelined data processing, to generate graphical representations of the management zone delineation options, and to generate computer-implemented recommendations for use in agriculture.

BACKGROUND

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Management zones refer to contiguous regions within an agricultural field that have similar limiting factors that influence harvested yields of crops. The field regions that belong to the same management zone can usually be managed uniformly with respect to seeding, irrigation, fertilizer application, and harvesting.

One advantage of identifying management zones within an agricultural field is that information about the zones may help crop growers to customize their agricultural practices to increase the field's productivity and yield. Customization of the practices may include for example, selecting particular seed hybrids, seed populations and nitrogen applications for the individual zones.

SUMMARY

The appended claims may serve as a summary of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example computer system that is configured to perform the functions described herein, shown in a field environment with other apparatus with which the system may interoperate.

FIG. 2 illustrates two views of an example logical organization of sets of instructions in main memory when an example mobile application is loaded for execution.

FIG. 3 illustrates a programmed process by which the agricultural intelligence computer system generates one or more preconfigured agronomic models using agronomic data provided by one or more data sources.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 400 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented.

FIG. 5 depicts an example embodiment of a timeline view for data entry.

FIG. 6 depicts an example embodiment of a spreadsheet view for data entry.

FIG. 7 depicts an example embodiment of a management zone creation pipeline.

FIG. 8 depicts an example method for creating management zones for an agricultural field.

FIG. 9 depicts a method for post-processing of management zones.

FIG. 10 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to delineate management zones and generate agronomic practice recommendations.

FIG. 11 depicts an example method for delineating management zones and generating prescriptions.

FIG. 12 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to display examples of management zones and examples of planting plans.

FIG. 13 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to enable requesting a prescription for a selected planting plan.

FIG. 14 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to display examples of management zones and examples of planting plans.

FIG. 15 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to allow a user to customize planting plan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Embodiments are disclosed in sections according to the following outline:

-   -   1. GENERAL OVERVIEW     -   2. EXAMPLE AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE COMPUTER SYSTEM         -   2.1. STRUCTURAL OVERVIEW         -   2.2. APPLICATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW         -   2.3. DATA INGEST TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM         -   2.4. PROCESS OVERVIEW—AGRONOMIC MODEL TRAINING         -   2.5. IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLE—HARDWARE OVERVIEW     -   3. IDENTIFYING MANAGEMENT ZONES BASED ON YIELD MAPS, SOIL MAPS,         TOPOGRAPHY MAPS AND SATELLITE DATA         -   3.1. MANAGEMENT ZONES         -   3.2. TRANSIENT FEATURE DATA—YIELD DATA         -   3.3. PERMANENT FEATURE DATA             -   3.3.1. SOIL CHARACTERISTICS             -   3.3.2. TOPOLOGY CHARACTERISTICS             -   3.3.3. SOIL SURVEY MAPS             -   3.3.4. SATELLITE MAPS             -   3.3.5. BARESOIL MAPS AS EXAMPLES OF SATELLITE MAPS         -   3.4. MANAGEMENT ZONES CREATING PIPELINE             -   3.4.1. PREPROCESSING             -   3.4.2. SPATIAL SMOOTHING             -   3.4.3. NORMALIZATION             -   3.4.4. CLUSTERING                 -   3.4.4.1. IDENTIFYING MANAGEMENT ZONES                 -   3.4.4.2. K-MEANS APPROACH                 -   3.4.4.3. REGION MERGING APPROACH             -   3.4.5. POST-PROCESSING         -   3.5. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS     -   4. USEFULNESS OF MANAGEMENT ZONE DELINEATION     -   5. EXAMPLE APPLICATION FOR DELINEATING MANAGEMENT ZONES AND         GENERATING RECOMMENDATIONS         -   5.1. EXAMPLE USES AND APPLICATIONS         -   5.2. EXAMPLE WORKFLOW         -   5.3. EXAMPLE OF AUTO SCRIPTING         -   5.4. EXAMPLE OF MANUAL SCRIPTING     -   6. EXTENSIONS AND ALTERNATIVES

1. General Overview

In an embodiment, a process is provided for determining management zone delineation options for an agricultural field and for determining planting plans for the delineation options. The process includes receiving yield data and field characteristics data. The yield data represents yields of crops that have been harvested from the field. The field characteristics data represents characteristics of the field itself. Both types of data may be preprocessed by removing outliers, duplicative data, and the like. The yield characteristics data is referred to as transient characteristics of the field, while the field characteristics data is referred to as permanent, or persistent, characteristics of the field.

Field characteristics data for an agricultural field may include soil property data and topographical properties data. The field characteristics data may be obtained from soil survey maps, baresoil maps, and/or satellite images.

Based on data received for a field, a plurality of management zone delineation options is determined. Each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, may include a layout of the zones for the field and additional information about the zones. For example, a management zone delineation option may include information indicating how the field may be divided into zones and information indicating characteristics of individual zones.

A process of determining a plurality of management zone delineation options may include determining a plurality of count values for a management class count, and generating the management zone delineation options for each count value. Generating a management zone delineation option may include for example, clustering the yield data and the associated field characteristics data based on a count value, grouping the obtained clusters into zones, and including the zones in the management zone delineation option.

Information about a management zone delineation option may be post-processed. A post-processing of a delineation option may include merging small management zones in the option with their respective neighboring large zones to generate a merged zone delineation option.

In an embodiment, a process is configured to generate planting plans and recommendations for a plurality of management zone delineation options. For example, upon receiving certain criteria and/or certain input from a user, one or more planting plans for the management zone delineation options may be generated.

Information about management zone delineation options and planting plans associated with the options may be used to control agricultural equipment, including a seeding apparatus, an irrigation apparatus, an apparatus for applying fertilizers, and/or a harvesting combine. The equipment may be directed to follow the recommended planting plans in terms of seeding, irrigating, applying fertilizers, and/or harvesting.

Layouts of management zones and information about planting plans may be displayed on computer display devices. For example, a computer system may be configured to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) and display the GUI on a computer display device. Furthermore, the computer system may cause displaying, in the GUI, graphical representations of management zone delineation options and planting plans for the options.

In an embodiment, a process is configured to receive a user input to customize management zone delineation options and/or to customize planting plans. For example, the process may be configured to receive requests to merge the zones, split the zones, modify the zones' layouts, modify seed hybrids selections, modify target yields, and/or modify planting plan details. The process may be configured to process the received requests, and generate new management zone delineation options and/or new planting options for the zones. For example, the process may determine interrelations between target yields and planting plans, modify the planting plans, and display the modified planting plans in a graphical form on the user's display device.

Using the techniques described herein, a computer can determine a plurality of management zones based on digital data representing historical yields and characteristics of the field itself. The techniques enable computers to determine the management zones that can be managed uniformly and thus more efficiently and productively.

Presented techniques can enable an agricultural intelligence computing system to save computational resources, such as data storage, computing power, and computer memory, by implementing a programmable pipeline configured to automatically determine management zones based on digital data obtained for a field. The programmable pipeline can automatically generate recommendations and alerts for farmers, insurance companies, and researchers, thereby allowing for a more effective management of seeding schedules, fertilization schedules, and harvest schedules.

Presented techniques can be useful in certain agricultural practices, such as selecting a seeding rate. Information about management zone delineation options may be used to generate recommendations for crop growers to suggest for example, seed hybrids, seeding populations, and seeding schedules for individual zones.

2. Example Agricultural Intelligence Computer System

2.1. Structural Overview

FIG. 1 illustrates an example computer system that is configured to perform the functions described herein, shown in a field environment with other apparatus with which the system may interoperate. In one embodiment, a user 102 owns, operates or possesses a field manager computing device 104 in a field location or associated with a field location such as a field intended for agricultural activities or a management location for one or more agricultural fields. The field manager computer device 104 is programmed or configured to provide field data 106 to an agricultural intelligence computer system 130 via one or more networks 109.

Examples of field data 106 include (a) identification data (for example, acreage, field name, field identifiers, geographic identifiers, boundary identifiers, crop identifiers, and any other suitable data that may be used to identify farm land, such as a common land unit (CLU), lot and block number, a parcel number, geographic coordinates and boundaries, Farm Serial Number (FSN), farm number, tract number, field number, section, township, and/or range), (b) harvest data (for example, crop type, crop variety, crop rotation, whether the crop is grown organically, harvest date, Actual Production History (APH), expected yield, yield, crop price, crop revenue, grain moisture, tillage practice, and previous growing season information), (c) soil data (for example, type, composition, pH, organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC)), (d) planting data (for example, planting date, seed(s) type, relative maturity (RM) of planted seed(s), seed population), (e) fertilizer data (for example, nutrient type (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium), application type, application date, amount, source, method), (f) pesticide data (for example, pesticide, herbicide, fungicide, other substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant, application date, amount, source, method), (g) irrigation data (for example, application date, amount, source, method), (h) weather data (for example, precipitation, rainfall rate, predicted rainfall, water runoff rate region, temperature, wind, forecast, pressure, visibility, clouds, heat index, dew point, humidity, snow depth, air quality, sunrise, sunset), (i) imagery data (for example, imagery and light spectrum information from an agricultural apparatus sensor, camera, computer, smartphone, tablet, unmanned aerial vehicle, planes or satellite), (j) scouting observations (photos, videos, free form notes, voice recordings, voice transcriptions, weather conditions (temperature, precipitation (current and over time), soil moisture, crop growth stage, wind velocity, relative humidity, dew point, black layer)), and (k) soil, seed, crop phenology, pest and disease reporting, and predictions sources and databases.

A data server computer 108 is communicatively coupled to agricultural intelligence computer system 130 and is programmed or configured to send external data 110 to agricultural intelligence computer system 130 via the network(s) 109. The external data server computer 108 may be owned or operated by the same legal person or entity as the agricultural intelligence computer system 130, or by a different person or entity such as a government agency, non-governmental organization (NGO), and/or a private data service provider. Examples of external data include weather data, imagery data, soil data, or statistical data relating to crop yields, among others. External data 110 may consist of the same type of information as field data 106. In some embodiments, the external data 110 is provided by an external data server 108 owned by the same entity that owns and/or operates the agricultural intelligence computer system 130. For example, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 may include a data server focused exclusively on a type of data that might otherwise be obtained from third party sources, such as weather data. In some embodiments, an external data server 108 may actually be incorporated within the system 130.

An agricultural apparatus 111 may have one or more remote sensors 112 fixed thereon, which sensors are communicatively coupled either directly or indirectly via agricultural apparatus 111 to the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 and are programmed or configured to send sensor data to agricultural intelligence computer system 130. Examples of agricultural apparatus 111 include tractors, combines, harvesters, planters, trucks, fertilizer equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles, and any other item of physical machinery or hardware, typically mobile machinery, and which may be used in tasks associated with agriculture. In some embodiments, a single unit of apparatus 111 may comprise a plurality of sensors 112 that are coupled locally in a network on the apparatus; controller area network (CAN) is example of such a network that can be installed in combines or harvesters. Application controller 114 is communicatively coupled to agricultural intelligence computer system 130 via the network(s) 109 and is programmed or configured to receive one or more scripts to control an operating parameter of an agricultural vehicle or implement from the agricultural intelligence computer system 130. For instance, a controller area network (CAN) bus interface may be used to enable communications from the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 to the agricultural apparatus 111, such as how the CLIMATE FIELDVIEW DRIVE, available from The Climate Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., is used. Sensor data may consist of the same type of information as field data 106. In some embodiments, remote sensors 112 may not be fixed to an agricultural apparatus 111 but may be remotely located in the field and may communicate with network 109.

The apparatus 111 may comprise a cab computer 115 that is programmed with a cab application, which may comprise a version or variant of the mobile application for device 104 that is further described in other sections herein. In an embodiment, cab computer 115 comprises a compact computer, often a tablet-sized computer or smartphone, with a graphical screen display, such as a color display, that is mounted within an operator's cab of the apparatus 111. Cab computer 115 may implement some or all of the operations and functions that are described further herein for the mobile computer device 104.

The network(s) 109 broadly represent any combination of one or more data communication networks including local area networks, wide area networks, internetworks or internets, using any of wireline or wireless links, including terrestrial or satellite links. The network(s) may be implemented by any medium or mechanism that provides for the exchange of data between the various elements of FIG. 1 . The various elements of FIG. 1 may also have direct (wired or wireless) communications links. The sensors 112, controller 114, external data server computer 108, and other elements of the system each comprise an interface compatible with the network(s) 109 and are programmed or configured to use standardized protocols for communication across the networks such as TCP/IP, Bluetooth, CAN protocol and higher-layer protocols such as HTTP, TLS, and the like.

Agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is programmed or configured to receive field data 106 from field manager computing device 104, external data 110 from external data server computer 108, and sensor data from remote sensor 112. Agricultural intelligence computer system 130 may be further configured to host, use or execute one or more computer programs, other software elements, digitally programmed logic such as FPGAs or ASICs, or any combination thereof to perform translation and storage of data values, construction of digital models of one or more crops on one or more fields, generation of recommendations and notifications, and generation and sending of scripts to application controller 114, in the manner described further in other sections of this disclosure.

In an embodiment, agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is programmed with or comprises a communication layer 132, presentation layer 134, data management layer 140, hardware/virtualization layer 150, and model and field data repository 160. “Layer,” in this context, refers to any combination of electronic digital interface circuits, microcontrollers, firmware such as drivers, and/or computer programs or other software elements.

Communication layer 132 may be programmed or configured to perform input/output interfacing functions including sending requests to field manager computing device 104, external data server computer 108, and remote sensor 112 for field data, external data, and sensor data respectively. Communication layer 132 may be programmed or configured to send the received data to model and field data repository 160 to be stored as field data 106.

In an embodiment, agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is programmed with or comprises code instructions 180. For example, code instructions 180 may include data receiving instructions 182 which are programmed for receiving, over network(s) 109, electronic digital data comprising yield data. Code instructions 180 may also include data processing instructions 183 which are programmed for preprocessing of the received yield data; data smoothing instructions 184 which are programmed for smoothing the preprocessed yield data; data delineating instructions 187 which are programmed for delineating management zones; post-processing instructions 186 which are programmed for post-processing of the delineated management zones; data comparison instructions 185 which are programmed for comparing the post-processed management zones; screen display maps generating instructions 189 and other detection instructions 188.

Presentation layer 134 may be programmed or configured to generate a GUI to be displayed on field manager computing device 104, cab computer 115 or other computers that are coupled to the system 130 through the network 109. The GUI may comprise controls for inputting data to be sent to agricultural intelligence computer system 130, generating requests for models and/or recommendations, and/or displaying recommendations, notifications, models, and other field data.

Data management layer 140 may be programmed or configured to manage read operations and write operations involving the repository 160 and other functional elements of the system, including queries and result sets communicated between the functional elements of the system and the repository. Examples of data management layer 140 include JDBC, SQL server interface code, and/or HADOOP interface code, among others. Repository 160 may comprise a database. As used herein, the term “database” may refer to either a body of data, a relational database management system (RDBMS), or to both. As used herein, a database may comprise any collection of data including hierarchical databases, relational databases, flat file databases, object-relational databases, object oriented databases, and any other structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. Examples of RDBMS's include, but are not limited to including, ORACLE®, MYSQL, IBM® DB2, MICROSOFT® SQL SERVER, SYBASE®, and POSTGRESQL databases. However, any database may be used that enables the systems and methods described herein.

When field data 106 is not provided directly to the agricultural intelligence computer system via one or more agricultural machines or agricultural machine devices that interacts with the agricultural intelligence computer system, the user may be prompted via one or more user interfaces on the user device (served by the agricultural intelligence computer system) to input such information. In an example embodiment, the user may specify identification data by accessing a map on the user device (served by the agricultural intelligence computer system) and selecting specific CLUs that have been graphically shown on the map. In an alternative embodiment, the user 102 may specify identification data by accessing a map on the user device (served by the agricultural intelligence computer system 130) and drawing boundaries of the field over the map. Such CLU selection or map drawings represent geographic identifiers. In alternative embodiments, the user may specify identification data by accessing field identification data (provided as shape files or in a similar format) from the U. S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency or other source via the user device and providing such field identification data to the agricultural intelligence computer system.

In an example embodiment, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is programmed to generate and cause displaying a graphical user interface comprising a data manager for data input. After one or more fields have been identified using the methods described above, the data manager may provide one or more graphical user interface widgets which when selected can identify changes to the field, soil, crops, tillage, or nutrient practices. The data manager may include a timeline view, a spreadsheet view, and/or one or more editable programs.

FIG. 5 depicts an example embodiment of a timeline view for data entry. Using the display depicted in FIG. 5 , a user computer can input a selection of a particular field and a particular date for the addition of event. Events depicted at the top of the timeline may include Nitrogen, Planting, Practices, and Soil. To add a nitrogen application event, a user computer may provide input to select the nitrogen tab. The user computer may then select a location on the timeline for a particular field in order to indicate an application of nitrogen on the selected field. In response to receiving a selection of a location on the timeline for a particular field, the data manager may display a data entry overlay, allowing the user computer to input data pertaining to nitrogen applications, planting procedures, soil application, tillage procedures, irrigation practices, or other information relating to the particular field. For example, if a user computer selects a portion of the timeline and indicates an application of nitrogen, then the data entry overlay may include fields for inputting an amount of nitrogen applied, a date of application, a type of fertilizer used, and any other information related to the application of nitrogen.

In an embodiment, the data manager provides an interface for creating one or more programs. “Program,” in this context, refers to a set of data pertaining to nitrogen applications, planting procedures, soil application, tillage procedures, irrigation practices, or other information that may be related to one or more fields, and that can be stored in digital data storage for reuse as a set in other operations. After a program has been created, it may be conceptually applied to one or more fields and references to the program may be stored in digital storage in association with data identifying the fields. Thus, instead of manually entering identical data relating to the same nitrogen applications for multiple different fields, a user computer may create a program that indicates a particular application of nitrogen and then apply the program to multiple different fields. For example, in the timeline view of FIG. 5 , the top two timelines have the “Fall applied” program selected, which includes an application of 150 lbs N/ac in early April. The data manager may provide an interface for editing a program. In an embodiment, when a particular program is edited, each field that has selected the particular program is edited. For example, in FIG. 5 , if the “Fall applied” program is edited to reduce the application of nitrogen to 130 lbs N/ac, the top two fields may be updated with a reduced application of nitrogen based on the edited program.

In an embodiment, in response to receiving edits to a field that has a program selected, the data manager removes the correspondence of the field to the selected program. For example, if a nitrogen application is added to the top field in FIG. 5 , the interface may update to indicate that the “Fall applied” program is no longer being applied to the top field. While the nitrogen application in early April may remain, updates to the “Fall applied” program would not alter the April application of nitrogen.

FIG. 6 depicts an example embodiment of a spreadsheet view for data entry. Using the display depicted in FIG. 6 , a user can create and edit information for one or more fields. The data manager may include spreadsheets for inputting information with respect to Nitrogen, Planting, Practices, and Soil as depicted in FIG. 6 . To edit a particular entry, a user computer may select the particular entry in the spreadsheet and update the values. For example, FIG. 6 depicts an in-progress update to a target yield value for the second field. Additionally, a user computer may select one or more fields in order to apply one or more programs. In response to receiving a selection of a program for a particular field, the data manager may automatically complete the entries for the particular field based on the selected program. As with the timeline view, the data manager may update the entries for each field associated with a particular program in response to receiving an update to the program. Additionally, the data manager may remove the correspondence of the selected program to the field in response to receiving an edit to one of the entries for the field.

In an embodiment, model and field data is stored in model and field data repository 160. Model data comprises data models created for one or more fields. For example, a crop model may include a digitally constructed model of the development of a crop on the one or more fields. “Model,” in this context, refers to an electronic digitally stored set of executable instructions and data values, associated with one another, which are capable of receiving and responding to a programmatic or other digital call, invocation, or request for resolution based upon specified input values, to yield one or more stored output values that can serve as the basis of computer-implemented recommendations, output data displays, or machine control, among other things. Persons of skill in the field find it convenient to express models using mathematical equations, but that form of expression does not confine the models disclosed herein to abstract concepts; instead, each model herein has a practical application in a computer in the form of stored executable instructions and data that implement the model using the computer. The model data may include a model of past events on the one or more fields, a model of the current status of the one or more fields, and/or a model of predicted events on the one or more fields. Model and field data may be stored in data structures in memory, rows in a database table, in flat files or spreadsheets, or other forms of stored digital data.

Hardware/virtualization layer 150 comprises one or more central processing units (CPUs), memory controllers, and other devices, components, or elements of a computer system such as volatile or non-volatile memory, non-volatile storage such as disk, and I/O devices or interfaces as illustrated and described, for example, in connection with FIG. 4 . The layer 150 also may comprise programmed instructions that are configured to support virtualization, containerization, or other technologies.

For purposes of illustrating a clear example, FIG. 1 shows a limited number of instances of certain functional elements. However, in other embodiments, there may be any number of such elements. For example, embodiments may use thousands or millions of different mobile computing devices 104 associated with different users. Further, the system 130 and/or external data server computer 108 may be implemented using two or more processors, cores, clusters, or instances of physical machines or virtual machines, configured in a discrete location or co-located with other elements in a datacenter, shared computing facility or cloud computing facility.

2.2. Application Program Overview

In an embodiment, the implementation of the functions described herein using one or more computer programs or other software elements that are loaded into and executed using one or more general-purpose computers will cause the general-purpose computers to be configured as a particular machine or as a computer that is specially adapted to perform the functions described herein. Further, each of the flow diagrams that are described further herein may serve, alone or in combination with the descriptions of processes and functions in prose herein, as algorithms, plans or directions that may be used to program a computer or logic to implement the functions that are described. In other words, all the prose text herein, and all the drawing figures, together are intended to provide disclosure of algorithms, plans or directions that are sufficient to permit a skilled person to program a computer to perform the functions that are described herein, in combination with the skill and knowledge of such a person given the level of skill that is appropriate for inventions and disclosures of this type.

In an embodiment, user 102 interacts with agricultural intelligence computer system 130 using field manager computing device 104 configured with an operating system and one or more application programs or apps; the field manager computing device 104 also may interoperate with the agricultural intelligence computer system independently and automatically under program control or logical control and direct user interaction is not always required. Field manager computing device 104 broadly represents one or more of a smart phone, PDA, tablet computing device, laptop computer, desktop computer, workstation, or any other computing device capable of transmitting and receiving information and performing the functions described herein. Field manager computing device 104 may communicate via a network using a mobile application stored on field manager computing device 104, and in some embodiments, the device may be coupled using a cable 113 or connector to the sensor 112 and/or controller 114. A particular user 102 may own, operate or possess and use, in connection with system 130, more than one field manager computing device 104 at a time.

The mobile application may provide client-side functionality, via the network to one or more mobile computing devices. In an example embodiment, field manager computing device 104 may access the mobile application via a web browser or a local client application or app. Field manager computing device 104 may transmit data to, and receive data from, one or more front-end servers, using web-based protocols or formats such as HTTP, XML, and/or JSON, or app-specific protocols. In an example embodiment, the data may take the form of requests and user information input, such as field data, into the mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the mobile application interacts with location tracking hardware and software on field manager computing device 104 which determines the location of field manager computing device 104 using standard tracking techniques such as multilateration of radio signals, the global positioning system (GPS), WiFi positioning systems, or other methods of mobile positioning. In some cases, location data or other data associated with the device 104, user 102, and/or user account(s) may be obtained by queries to an operating system of the device or by requesting an app on the device to obtain data from the operating system.

In an embodiment, field manager computing device 104 sends field data 106 to agricultural intelligence computer system 130 comprising or including, but not limited to, data values representing one or more of: a geographical location of the one or more fields, tillage information for the one or more fields, crops planted in the one or more fields, and soil data extracted from the one or more fields. Field manager computing device 104 may send field data 106 in response to user input from user 102 specifying the data values for the one or more fields. Additionally, field manager computing device 104 may automatically send field data 106 when one or more of the data values becomes available to field manager computing device 104. For example, field manager computing device 104 may be communicatively coupled to remote sensor 112 and/or application controller 114. In response to receiving data indicating that application controller 114 released water onto the one or more fields, field manager computing device 104 may send field data 106 to agricultural intelligence computer system 130 indicating that water was released on the one or more fields. Field data 106 identified in this disclosure may be input and communicated using electronic digital data that is communicated between computing devices using parameterized URLs over HTTP, or another suitable communication or messaging protocol.

A commercial example of the mobile application is CLIMATE FIELDVIEW, commercially available from The Climate Corporation, San Francisco, Calif. The CLIMATE FIELDVIEW application, or other applications, may be modified, extended, or adapted to include features, functions, and programming that have not been disclosed earlier than the filing date of this disclosure. In one embodiment, the mobile application comprises an integrated software platform that allows a grower to make fact-based decisions for their operation because it combines historical data about the grower's fields with any other data that the grower wishes to compare. The combinations and comparisons may be performed in real time and are based upon scientific models that provide potential scenarios to permit the grower to make better, more informed decisions.

FIG. 2 illustrates two views of an example logical organization of sets of instructions in main memory when an example mobile application is loaded for execution. In FIG. 2 , each named element represents a region of one or more pages of RAM or other main memory, or one or more blocks of disk storage or other non-volatile storage, and the programmed instructions within those regions. In one embodiment, in view (a), a mobile computer application 200 comprises account-fields-data ingestion-sharing instructions 202, overview and alert instructions 204, digital map book instructions 206, seeds and planting instructions 208, nitrogen instructions 210, weather instructions 212, field health instructions 214, and performance instructions 216.

In one embodiment, a mobile computer application 200 comprises account-fields-data ingestion-sharing instructions 202 which are programmed to receive, translate, and ingest field data from third party systems via manual upload or APIs. Data types may include field boundaries, yield maps, as-planted maps, soil test results, as-applied maps, and/or management zones, among others. Data formats may include shape files, native data formats of third parties, and/or farm management information system (FMIS) exports, among others. Receiving data may occur via manual upload, e-mail with attachment, external APIs that push data to the mobile application, or instructions that call APIs of external systems to pull data into the mobile application. In one embodiment, mobile computer application 200 comprises a data inbox. In response to receiving a selection of the data inbox, the mobile computer application 200 may display a graphical user interface for manually uploading data files and importing uploaded files to a data manager.

In one embodiment, digital map book instructions 206 comprise field map data layers stored in device memory and are programmed with data visualization tools and geospatial field notes. This provides growers with convenient information close at hand for reference, logging and visual insights into field performance. In one embodiment, overview and alert instructions 204 are programmed to provide an operation-wide view of what is important to the grower, and timely recommendations to take action or focus on particular issues. This permits the grower to focus time on what needs attention, to save time and preserve yield throughout the season. In one embodiment, seeds and planting instructions 208 are programmed to provide tools for seed selection, hybrid placement, and script creation, including variable rate (VR) script creation, based upon scientific models and empirical data. This enables growers to maximize yield or return on investment through optimized seed purchase, placement and population.

In one embodiment, script generation instructions 205 are programmed to provide an interface for generating scripts, including variable rate (VR) fertility scripts. The interface enables growers to create scripts for field implements, such as nutrient applications, planting, and irrigation. For example, a planting script interface may comprise tools for identifying a type of seed for planting. Upon receiving a selection of the seed type, mobile computer application 200 may display one or more fields broken into management zones, such as the field map data layers created as part of digital map book instructions 206. In one embodiment, the management zones comprise soil zones along with a panel identifying each soil zone and a soil name, texture, drainage for each zone, or other field data. Mobile computer application 200 may also display tools for editing or creating such, such as graphical tools for drawing management zones, such as soil zones, over a map of one or more fields. Planting procedures may be applied to all management zones or different planting procedures may be applied to different subsets of management zones. When a script is created, mobile computer application 200 may make the script available for download in a format readable by an application controller, such as an archived or compressed format. Additionally and/or alternatively, a script may be sent directly to cab computer 115 from mobile computer application 200 and/or uploaded to one or more data servers and stored for further use. In one embodiment, nitrogen instructions 210 are programmed to provide tools to inform nitrogen decisions by visualizing the availability of nitrogen to crops. This enables growers to maximize yield or return on investment through optimized nitrogen application during the season. Example programmed functions include displaying images such as SSURGO images to enable drawing of application zones and/or images generated from subfield soil data, such as data obtained from sensors, at a high spatial resolution (as fine as 10 meters or smaller because of their proximity to the soil); upload of existing grower-defined zones; providing an application graph and/or a map to enable tuning application(s) of nitrogen across multiple zones; output of scripts to drive machinery; tools for mass data entry and adjustment; and/or maps for data visualization, among others. “Mass data entry,” in this context, may mean entering data once and then applying the same data to multiple fields that have been defined in the system; example data may include nitrogen application data that is the same for many fields of the same grower, but such mass data entry applies to the entry of any type of field data into the mobile computer application 200. For example, nitrogen instructions 210 may be programmed to accept definitions of nitrogen planting and practices programs and to accept user input specifying to apply those programs across multiple fields. “Nitrogen planting programs,” in this context, refers to a stored, named set of data that associates: a name, color code or other identifier, one or more dates of application, types of material or product for each of the dates and amounts, method of application or incorporation such as injected or knifed in, and/or amounts or rates of application for each of the dates, crop or hybrid that is the subject of the application, among others. “Nitrogen practices programs,” in this context, refers to a stored, named set of data that associates: a practices name; a previous crop; a tillage system; a date of primarily tillage; one or more previous tillage systems that were used; one or more indicators of application type, such as manure, that were used. Nitrogen instructions 210 also may be programmed to generate and cause displaying a nitrogen graph, which indicates projections of plant use of the specified nitrogen and whether a surplus or shortfall is predicted; in some embodiments, different color indicators may signal a magnitude of surplus or magnitude of shortfall. In one embodiment, a nitrogen graph comprises a graphical display in a computer display device comprising a plurality of rows, each row associated with and identifying a field; data specifying what crop is planted in the field, the field size, the field location, and a graphic representation of the field perimeter; in each row, a timeline by month with graphic indicators specifying each nitrogen application and amount at points correlated to month names; and numeric and/or colored indicators of surplus or shortfall, in which color indicates magnitude.

In one embodiment, the nitrogen graph may include one or more user input features, such as dials or slider bars, to dynamically change the nitrogen planting and practices programs so that a user may optimize his nitrogen graph. The user may then use his optimized nitrogen graph and the related nitrogen planting and practices programs to implement one or more scripts, including variable rate (VR) fertility scripts. Nitrogen instructions 210 also may be programmed to generate and cause displaying a nitrogen map, which indicates projections of plant use of the specified nitrogen and whether a surplus or shortfall is predicted; in some embodiments, different color indicators may signal a magnitude of surplus or magnitude of shortfall. The nitrogen map may display projections of plant use of the specified nitrogen and whether a surplus or shortfall is predicted for different times in the past and the future (such as daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) using numeric and/or colored indicators of surplus or shortfall, in which color indicates magnitude. In one embodiment, the nitrogen map may include one or more user input features, such as dials or slider bars, to dynamically change the nitrogen planting and practices programs so that a user may optimize his nitrogen map, such as to obtain a preferred amount of surplus to shortfall. The user may then use his optimized nitrogen map and the related nitrogen planting and practices programs to implement one or more scripts, including variable rate (VR) fertility scripts. In other embodiments, similar instructions to the nitrogen instructions 210 could be used for application of other nutrients (such as phosphorus and potassium) application of pesticide, and irrigation programs.

In one embodiment, weather instructions 212 are programmed to provide field-specific recent weather data and forecasted weather information. This enables growers to save time and have an efficient integrated display with respect to daily operational decisions.

In one embodiment, field health instructions 214 are programmed to provide timely remote sensing images highlighting in-season crop variation and potential concerns. Example programmed functions include cloud checking, to identify possible clouds or cloud shadows; determining nitrogen indices based on field images; graphical visualization of scouting layers, including, for example, those related to field health, and viewing and/or sharing of scouting notes; and/or downloading satellite images from multiple sources and prioritizing the images for the grower, among others.

In one embodiment, performance instructions 216 are programmed to provide reports, analysis, and insight tools using on-farm data for evaluation, insights and decisions. This enables the grower to seek improved outcomes for the next year through fact-based conclusions about why return on investment was at prior levels, and insight into yield-limiting factors. The performance instructions 216 may be programmed to communicate via the network(s) 109 to back-end analytics programs executed at agricultural intelligence computer system 130 and/or external data server computer 108 and configured to analyze metrics such as yield, hybrid, population, SSURGO, soil tests, or elevation, among others. Programmed reports and analysis may include yield variability analysis, benchmarking of yield and other metrics against other growers based on anonymized data collected from many growers, or data for seeds and planting, among others.

Applications having instructions configured in this way may be implemented for different computing device platforms while retaining the same general user interface appearance. For example, the mobile application may be programmed for execution on tablets, smartphones, or server computers that are accessed using browsers at client computers. Further, the mobile application as configured for tablet computers or smartphones may provide a full app experience or a cab app experience that is suitable for the display and processing capabilities of cab computer 115. For example, referring now to view (b) of FIG. 2 , in one embodiment a cab computer application 220 may comprise maps-cab instructions 222, remote view instructions 224, data collect and transfer instructions 226, machine alerts instructions 228, script transfer instructions 230, and scouting-cab instructions 232. The code base for the instructions of view (b) may be the same as for view (a) and executables implementing the code may be programmed to detect the type of platform on which they are executing and to expose, through a graphical user interface, only those functions that are appropriate to a cab platform or full platform. This approach enables the system to recognize the distinctly different user experience that is appropriate for an in-cab environment and the different technology environment of the cab. The maps-cab instructions 222 may be programmed to provide map views of fields, farms or regions that are useful in directing machine operation. The remote view instructions 224 may be programmed to turn on, manage, and provide views of machine activity in real-time or near real-time to other computing devices connected to the system 130 via wireless networks, wired connectors or adapters, and the like. The data collect and transfer instructions 226 may be programmed to turn on, manage, and provide transfer of data collected at machine sensors and controllers to the system 130 via wireless networks, wired connectors or adapters, and the like. The machine alerts instructions 228 may be programmed to detect issues with operations of the machine or tools that are associated with the cab and generate operator alerts. The script transfer instructions 230 may be configured to transfer in scripts of instructions that are configured to direct machine operations or the collection of data. The scouting-cab instructions 230 may be programmed to display location-based alerts and information received from the system 130 based on the location of the agricultural apparatus 111 or sensors 112 in the field and ingest, manage, and provide transfer of location-based scouting observations to the system 130 based on the location of the agricultural apparatus 111 or sensors 112 in the field.

2.3. Data Ingest to the Computer System

In an embodiment, external data server computer 108 stores external data 110, including soil data representing soil composition for the one or more fields and weather data representing temperature and precipitation on the one or more fields. The weather data may include past and present weather data as well as forecasts for future weather data. In an embodiment, external data server computer 108 comprises a plurality of servers hosted by different entities. For example, a first server may contain soil composition data while a second server may include weather data. Additionally, soil composition data may be stored in multiple servers. For example, one server may store data representing percentage of sand, silt, and clay in the soil while a second server may store data representing percentage of organic matter (OM) in the soil.

In an embodiment, remote sensor 112 comprises one or more sensors that are programmed or configured to produce one or more observations. Remote sensor 112 may be aerial sensors, such as satellites, vehicle sensors, planting equipment sensors, tillage sensors, fertilizer or insecticide application sensors, harvester sensors, and any other implement capable of receiving data from the one or more fields. In an embodiment, application controller 114 is programmed or configured to receive instructions from agricultural intelligence computer system 130. Application controller 114 may also be programmed or configured to control an operating parameter of an agricultural vehicle or implement. For example, an application controller may be programmed or configured to control an operating parameter of a vehicle, such as a tractor, planting equipment, tillage equipment, fertilizer or insecticide equipment, harvester equipment, or other farm implements such as a water valve. Other embodiments may use any combination of sensors and controllers, of which the following are merely selected examples.

The system 130 may obtain or ingest data under user 102 control, on a mass basis from a large number of growers who have contributed data to a shared database system. This form of obtaining data may be termed “manual data ingest” as one or more user-controlled computer operations are requested or triggered to obtain data for use by the system 130. As an example, the CLIMATE FIELDVIEW application, commercially available from The Climate Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., may be operated to export data to system 130 for storing in the repository 160.

For example, seed monitor systems can both control planter apparatus components and obtain planting data, including signals from seed sensors via a signal harness that comprises a CAN backbone and point-to-point connections for registration and/or diagnostics. Seed monitor systems can be programmed or configured to display seed spacing, population and other information to the user via the cab computer 115 or other devices within the system 130. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,738,243 and US Pat. Pub. 20150094916, and the present disclosure assumes knowledge of those other patent disclosures.

Likewise, yield monitor systems may contain yield sensors for harvester apparatus that send yield measurement data to the cab computer 115 or other devices within the system 130. Yield monitor systems may utilize one or more remote sensors 112 to obtain grain moisture measurements in a combine or other harvester and transmit these measurements to the user via the cab computer 115 or other devices within the system 130.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with any moving vehicle or apparatus of the type described elsewhere herein include kinematic sensors and position sensors. Kinematic sensors may comprise any of speed sensors such as radar or wheel speed sensors, accelerometers, or gyros. Position sensors may comprise GPS receivers or transceivers, or WiFi-based position or mapping apps that are programmed to determine location based upon nearby WiFi hotspots, among others.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with tractors or other moving vehicles include engine speed sensors, fuel consumption sensors, area counters or distance counters that interact with GPS or radar signals, PTO (power take-off) speed sensors, tractor hydraulics sensors configured to detect hydraulics parameters such as pressure or flow, and/or and hydraulic pump speed, wheel speed sensors or wheel slippage sensors. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with tractors include hydraulic directional controllers, pressure controllers, and/or flow controllers; hydraulic pump speed controllers; speed controllers or governors; hitch position controllers; or wheel position controllers provide automatic steering.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with seed planting equipment such as planters, drills, or air seeders include seed sensors, which may be optical, electromagnetic, or impact sensors; downforce sensors such as load pins, load cells, pressure sensors; soil property sensors such as reflectivity sensors, moisture sensors, electrical conductivity sensors, optical residue sensors, or temperature sensors; component operating criteria sensors such as planting depth sensors, downforce cylinder pressure sensors, seed disc speed sensors, seed drive motor encoders, seed conveyor system speed sensors, or vacuum level sensors; or pesticide application sensors such as optical or other electromagnetic sensors, or impact sensors. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with such seed planting equipment include: toolbar fold controllers, such as controllers for valves associated with hydraulic cylinders; downforce controllers, such as controllers for valves associated with pneumatic cylinders, airbags, or hydraulic cylinders, and programmed for applying downforce to individual row units or an entire planter frame; planting depth controllers, such as linear actuators; metering controllers, such as electric seed meter drive motors, hydraulic seed meter drive motors, or swath control clutches; hybrid selection controllers, such as seed meter drive motors, or other actuators programmed for selectively allowing or preventing seed or an air-seed mixture from delivering seed to or from seed meters or central bulk hoppers; metering controllers, such as electric seed meter drive motors, or hydraulic seed meter drive motors; seed conveyor system controllers, such as controllers for a belt seed delivery conveyor motor; marker controllers, such as a controller for a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator; or pesticide application rate controllers, such as metering drive controllers, orifice size or position controllers.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with tillage equipment include position sensors for tools such as shanks or discs; tool position sensors for such tools that are configured to detect depth, gang angle, or lateral spacing; downforce sensors; or draft force sensors. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with tillage equipment include downforce controllers or tool position controllers, such as controllers configured to control tool depth, gang angle, or lateral spacing.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used in relation to apparatus for applying fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide and the like, such as on-planter starter fertilizer systems, subsoil fertilizer applicators, or fertilizer sprayers, include: fluid system criteria sensors, such as flow sensors or pressure sensors; sensors indicating which spray head valves or fluid line valves are open; sensors associated with tanks, such as fill level sensors; sectional or system-wide supply line sensors, or row-specific supply line sensors; or kinematic sensors such as accelerometers disposed on sprayer booms. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with such apparatus include pump speed controllers; valve controllers that are programmed to control pressure, flow, direction, PWM and the like; or position actuators, such as for boom height, subsoiler depth, or boom position.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with harvesters include yield monitors, such as impact plate strain gauges or position sensors, capacitive flow sensors, load sensors, weight sensors, or torque sensors associated with elevators or augers, or optical or other electromagnetic grain height sensors; grain moisture sensors, such as capacitive sensors; grain loss sensors, including impact, optical, or capacitive sensors; header operating criteria sensors such as header height, header type, deck plate gap, feeder speed, and reel speed sensors; separator operating criteria sensors, such as concave clearance, rotor speed, shoe clearance, or chaffer clearance sensors; auger sensors for position, operation, or speed; or engine speed sensors. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with harvesters include header operating criteria controllers for elements such as header height, header type, deck plate gap, feeder speed, or reel speed; separator operating criteria controllers for features such as concave clearance, rotor speed, shoe clearance, or chaffer clearance; or controllers for auger position, operation, or speed.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 that may be used with grain carts include weight sensors, or sensors for auger position, operation, or speed. In an embodiment, examples of controllers 114 that may be used with grain carts include controllers for auger position, operation, or speed.

In an embodiment, examples of sensors 112 and controllers 114 may be installed in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) apparatus or “drones.” Such sensors may include cameras with detectors effective for any range of the electromagnetic spectrum including visible light, infrared, ultraviolet, near-infrared (NIR), and the like; accelerometers; altimeters; temperature sensors; humidity sensors; pitot tube sensors or other airspeed or wind velocity sensors; battery life sensors; or radar emitters and reflected radar energy detection apparatus. Such controllers may include guidance or motor control apparatus, control surface controllers, camera controllers, or controllers programmed to turn on, operate, obtain data from, manage and configure any of the foregoing sensors. Examples are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/831,165 and the present disclosure assumes knowledge of that other patent disclosure.

In an embodiment, sensors 112 and controllers 114 may be affixed to soil sampling and measurement apparatus that is configured or programmed to sample soil and perform soil chemistry tests, soil moisture tests, and other tests pertaining to soil. For example, the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,767,194 and 8,712,148 may be used, and the present disclosure assumes knowledge of those patent disclosures.

In another embodiment, sensors 112 and controllers 114 may comprise weather devices for monitoring weather conditions of fields. For example, the apparatus disclosed in International Pat. Application No. PCT/US2016/029609 may be used, and the present disclosure assumes knowledge of those patent disclosures.

2.4. Process Overview—Agronomic Model Training

In an embodiment, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is programmed or configured to create an agronomic model. In this context, an agronomic model is a data structure in memory of the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 that comprises field data 106, such as identification data and harvest data for one or more fields. The agronomic model may also comprise calculated agronomic properties which describe either conditions which may affect the growth of one or more crops on a field, or properties of the one or more crops, or both. Additionally, an agronomic model may comprise recommendations based on agronomic factors such as crop recommendations, irrigation recommendations, planting recommendations, and harvesting recommendations. The agronomic factors may also be used to estimate one or more crop related results, such as agronomic yield. The agronomic yield of a crop is an estimate of quantity of the crop that is produced, or in some examples the revenue or profit obtained from the produced crop.

In an embodiment, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 may use a preconfigured agronomic model to calculate agronomic properties related to currently received location and crop information for one or more fields. The preconfigured agronomic model is based upon previously processed field data, including but not limited to, identification data, harvest data, fertilizer data, and weather data. The preconfigured agronomic model may have been cross validated to ensure accuracy of the model. Cross validation may include comparison to ground truthing that compares predicted results with actual results on a field, such as a comparison of precipitation estimate with a rain gauge or sensor providing weather data at the same or nearby location or an estimate of nitrogen content with a soil sample measurement.

FIG. 3 illustrates a programmed process by which the agricultural intelligence computer system generates one or more preconfigured agronomic models using field data provided by one or more data sources. FIG. 3 may serve as an algorithm or instructions for programming the functional elements of the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 to perform the operations that are now described.

At block 305, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is configured or programmed to implement agronomic data preprocessing of field data received from one or more data sources. The field data received from one or more data sources may be preprocessed for the purpose of removing noise and distorting effects within the agronomic data including measured outliers that would bias received field data values. Embodiments of agronomic data preprocessing may include, but are not limited to, removing data values commonly associated with outlier data values, specific measured data points that are known to unnecessarily skew other data values, data smoothing techniques used to remove or reduce additive or multiplicative effects from noise, and other filtering or data derivation techniques used to provide clear distinctions between positive and negative data inputs.

At block 310, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is configured or programmed to perform data subset selection using the preprocessed field data in order to identify datasets useful for initial agronomic model generation. The agricultural intelligence computer system 130 may implement data subset selection techniques including, but not limited to, a genetic algorithm method, an all subset models method, a sequential search method, a stepwise regression method, a particle swarm optimization method, and an ant colony optimization method. For example, a genetic algorithm selection technique uses an adaptive heuristic search algorithm, based on evolutionary principles of natural selection and genetics, to determine and evaluate datasets within the preprocessed agronomic data.

At block 315, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is configured or programmed to implement field dataset evaluation. In an embodiment, a specific field dataset is evaluated by creating an agronomic model and using specific quality thresholds for the created agronomic model. Agronomic models may be compared using cross validation techniques including, but not limited to, root mean square error of leave-one-out cross validation (RMSECV), mean absolute error, and mean percentage error. For example, RMSECV can cross validate agronomic models by comparing predicted agronomic property values created by the agronomic model against historical agronomic property values collected and analyzed. In an embodiment, the agronomic dataset evaluation logic is used as a feedback loop where agronomic datasets that do not meet configured quality thresholds are used during future data subset selection steps (block 310).

At block 320, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is configured or programmed to implement agronomic model creation based upon the cross validated agronomic datasets. In an embodiment, agronomic model creation may implement multivariate regression techniques to create preconfigured agronomic data models.

At block 325, the agricultural intelligence computer system 130 is configured or programmed to store the preconfigured agronomic data models for future field data evaluation.

2.5. Implementation Example—Hardware Overview

According to one embodiment, the techniques described herein are implemented by one or more special-purpose computing devices. The special-purpose computing devices may be hard-wired to perform the techniques, or may include digital electronic devices such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that are persistently programmed to perform the techniques, or may include one or more general purpose hardware processors programmed to perform the techniques pursuant to program instructions in firmware, memory, other storage, or a combination. Such special-purpose computing devices may also combine custom hard-wired logic, ASICs, or FPGAs with custom programming to accomplish the techniques. The special-purpose computing devices may be desktop computer systems, portable computer systems, handheld devices, networking devices or any other device that incorporates hard-wired and/or program logic to implement the techniques.

For example, FIG. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 400 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system 400 includes a bus 402 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a hardware processor 404 coupled with bus 402 for processing information. Hardware processor 404 may be, for example, a general purpose microprocessor.

Computer system 400 also includes a main memory 406, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 402 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 404. Main memory 406 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 404. Such instructions, when stored in non-transitory storage media accessible to processor 404, render computer system 400 into a special-purpose machine that is customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions.

Computer system 400 further includes a read only memory (ROM) 408 or other static storage device coupled to bus 402 for storing static information and instructions for processor 404. A storage device 410, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, or solid-state drive is provided and coupled to bus 402 for storing information and instructions.

Computer system 400 may be coupled via bus 402 to a display 412, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device 414, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 402 for communicating information and command selections to processor 404. Another type of user input device is cursor control 416, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor 404 and for controlling cursor movement on display 412. This input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane.

Computer system 400 may implement the techniques described herein using customized hard-wired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware and/or program logic which in combination with the computer system causes or programs computer system 400 to be a special-purpose machine. According to one embodiment, the techniques herein are performed by computer system 400 in response to processor 404 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 406. Such instructions may be read into main memory 406 from another storage medium, such as storage device 410. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 406 causes processor 404 to perform the process steps described herein. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

The term “storage media” as used herein refers to any non-transitory media that store data and/or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a specific fashion. Such storage media may comprise non-volatile media and/or volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, or solid-state drives, such as storage device 410. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory 406. Common forms of storage media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, solid-state drive, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical data storage medium, any physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, NVRAM, any other memory chip or cartridge.

Storage media is distinct from but may be used in conjunction with transmission media. Transmission media participates in transferring information between storage media. For example, transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 402. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications.

Various forms of media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 404 for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk or solid-state drive of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to computer system 400 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infra-red detector can receive the data carried in the infra-red signal and appropriate circuitry can place the data on bus 402. Bus 402 carries the data to main memory 406, from which processor 404 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory 406 may optionally be stored on storage device 410 either before or after execution by processor 404.

Computer system 400 also includes a communication interface 418 coupled to bus 402. Communication interface 418 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 420 that is connected to a local network 422. For example, communication interface 418 may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, cable modem, satellite modem, or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, communication interface 418 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, communication interface 418 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

Network link 420 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link 420 may provide a connection through local network 422 to a host computer 424 or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 426. ISP 426 in turn provides data communication services through the world wide packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the “Internet” 428. Local network 422 and Internet 428 both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 420 and through communication interface 418, which carry the digital data to and from computer system 400, are example forms of transmission media.

Computer system 400 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link 420 and communication interface 418. In the Internet example, a server 430 might transmit a requested code for an application program through Internet 428, ISP 426, local network 422 and communication interface 418.

The received code may be executed by processor 404 as it is received, and/or stored in storage device 410, or other non-volatile storage for later execution.

3. Identifying Management Zones Based on Yield Maps, Soil Maps, Topography Maps and Satellite Data

3.1. Management Zones

In the context of precision agriculture, management zones are contiguous sub regions within an agricultural field that have similar constraints or limiting factors that influence harvested yields of crops. The field regions that belong to the same management zone can usually be managed uniformly in terms of seeding schedules or management practices. Identifying management zones within a field may help growers to make customized management decisions, such as choosing seed hybrids and seeding population that are best for each individual zone.

One objective for creating zones is to divide the entire agricultural field into different productivity regions having distinctive spatial-temporal yield behaviors. Creating, or identifying, such zones may help guiding growers to improve agricultural practices. This may include providing growers with recommendations for seeding rate selection, seeding timing, fertilizer selection and fertilizing timing for individual zones.

Recommendations that are customized to the needs of individual zones to improve yield and profitability of the field may include prescriptions for seeding, using certain seed hybrids, seed population and nitrogen fertilizer for different sub regions in a field. The recommendations may be determined based on characteristics of regions within a zone.

One criterion that may be used to determine the quality of management zones is compactness. Zones that are generated using a good management zone delineation approach are usually compact. Generating compact zones involves maximizing homogeneity within zones. There should also be a well-defined separation between different zones to ensure that the created zones actually require different management practices. The compactness and separation of the management zones that have been created may be evaluated by a visual assessment by either directly overlapping the delineated zones with yield maps, or by plotting a distribution of yield values in each zone and year, using appropriately programmed computers. The compactness and separation may also be evaluated by a quantitative assessment which defines numeric measures to accurately quantify the compactness and separation of yield observations in the delineated zones.

Management zones may be created automatically via computer programs, based on transient and permanent characteristics of an agricultural field. Transient characteristics may include yield data collected for sub regions and using historical yield maps. Permanent characteristics may include soil measurements and topographical properties of the field. The permanent characteristics data may be obtained from SSURGO maps and satellite images of the field. Permanent characteristics may be particularly useful when historical yield maps are unavailable for the field. Using the permanent characteristics of the field in determining management zones allows to incorporate to the zone creation process the data layers, such as soil and elevation data, in addition to yield data, and thus to refine the zone creation process.

Management zones that are created based on yield maps may group the regions with similar yield patterns and permanent properties. Such management zones aim to explain the productivity characteristics using the underlying properties of the soil. For example, zones with low organic matter or high pH may both have the low yield.

In an embodiment, a process of creating management zones comprises obtaining and processing transient characteristics data and permanent characteristics data for a field. The process may include determining desired sizes of the zones, and an optimal count of zones to achieve the desired productivity and yield from the field. The process may include creating one or more management zone delineation options, and separate planting plans for the individual options.

In an embodiment, a process of creating management zones comprises an interactive computer tool that is programmed for visualizing graphical representations of management zone delineation options and corresponding planting plans. The interactive tool may also be configured to manipulate layouts of the zones in the zone delineated options.

Graphical representations of management zones and planting plans may be generated using a GUI, and may graphically represent layouts of the zones, information about the zones, and planting plans for the zones.

3.2. Transient Feature Data—Yield Data

Transient feature data represents land or field characteristics that vary from time to time. In the context of agricultural management zones, examples of transient feature data may include yield data because the yields from a field vary from one harvesting season to another.

Yield data may include historical yield maps that represent spatial and temporal yield patterns for the sub-fields. Yield data may include information about yields of crops harvested from an agricultural field within one year or within several years. Yield data may also include additional information such as a field boundary, a field size, and a location of each sub-field within the field. Yield data may be provided from different sources. Examples of the sources may include research partners, agricultural agencies, agricultural organizations, growers, governmental agencies, and others.

3.3. Permanent Feature Data

Permanent feature data represents characteristics that remain unchanged from one season to another. In the context of agricultural management zones, examples of permanent feature data for a field may include characteristics of soil, topology and terrain of the field because such data usually does not change from one harvesting season to another.

Permanent feature data may include soil characteristics and topology characteristics. They may be obtained from soil survey maps, satellite maps, and baresoil maps. Permanent feature data may be provided as datasets. Examples of datasets include 2013 and 2014 Research Partner soil sampling datasets, Rapid-Eye images, SSURGO polygon boundaries and National Elevation Dataset (NED).

3.3.1. Soil Characteristics

Data for soil characteristics of a field may be obtained based on soil samples collected from the field. Soil sampling for a field may be performed using various sampling techniques, such as collecting soil samples at an approximate resolution of one sample per two acres. The samples are may be collected at grid points within a field and roughly form a rectangle. The original measurement data may be available as shape files stored on computer servers.

When soil samples are provided from different sources, there might be some differences in soil sampling methods, accuracy with which the samples were collected, and sampling depths at which the soil was sampled. Therefore, the datasets may be preprocessed. The preprocessing may include removing duplicated samples, samples with no associated values, samples with no geographical coordinate information, and samples with incorrect coordinates and geographical information.

3.3.2. Topology Characteristics

Topology characteristics of a field may include geographical and elevation characteristics of the field. Topology characteristics may include elevation data for an agricultural field, and other topographical properties that may be derived from the elevation data. The properties may include a wetness index, also referred to as a Composite Topographic Index CTI, a Topographic Position Index (TPI) indicator, an aspect, a flow direction, and a slope.

Elevation data may be obtained from different sources, including the National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NED dataset usually provides a resolution of about a third of an arc-second.

3.3.3. Soil Survey Maps

Soil survey characteristics may be provided in form of soil survey maps. One source of the soil survey maps is the SSURGO database that contains soil survey data of most areas in the United States.

A typical soil survey dataset is organized as a set of individual map units, each of which covers a polygon area. The data associated with each polygon may include soil properties and soil texture data, and the data may be provided at different spatial resolutions. The data may or may not be associated with specific geographical point locations.

Soil survey data may represent qualitative assessment and lab-analyzed sample data. Since the SSURGO maps provide a high resolution of soil measurement data, the soil texture data available in the SSURGO maps may be sufficient for the purpose of a zone creation. In a particular implementation, the applicable soil texture data is at mukey (a map unit key) level 2. That means that the value of soil texture properties is uniform over the entire spatial polygon.

In an embodiment, the SSURGO data for a set of fields of interest is provided as a set of spatial polygons. The set of polygons may be processed by for example, determining whether the soil texture data was missing for an entire polygon, and if so, a k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) data points may be used to interpolate the missing data point. Furthermore, the sand, silt and clay percentages may be normalized to add up to a 100%. Examples of attributes used in a zone creation process include sand and silt attributes.

3.3.4. Satellite Maps

Satellite characteristics for an agricultural field are typically determined based on satellite maps. Satellite image data may be provided at different spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions. The satellite maps may provide information about agricultural crop assessment, crop health, change detection, environmental analysis, irrigated landscape mapping, yield determination and soils analysis. The images may be acquired at different times of the year and multiple times within a year.

Satellite images may depict variations in organic matter and drainage patterns. Soils higher in organic matter can be differentiated from lighter sandier soil that has a lower organic matter content. This information may be used in conjunction with other types of maps to define management zones for a field.

3.3.5. Baresoil Maps as Examples of Satellite Maps

Baresoil maps are examples of satellite maps. Baresoil maps include baresoil characteristics determined based on baresoil maps. Examples of such maps may include RapidEye satellite images. In a typical RapidEye image for a field, data may contain per-pixel (5 by 5 meter) percentage reflectance values for five different bands: red, red edge, blue, green, and near infra-red. Since the RapidEye data represents topsoil better than deeper soil layers, and that in the RP fields soil samples' depths may be unknown, using the RapidEye images may provide additional characteristics of the soil.

In an embodiment, a set of baresoil images is preprocessed. For example, for each field, the images with cloud contaminations may be discarded while the images from the most recent year may be selected.

3.4. Pipeline for Creating Management Zones

An objective for creating management zones is to divide an entire agricultural field into different productivity regions with distinctive spatial-temporal yielding behaviors. Creating, or identifying, such zones may help and guide the crops growers by providing the growers with recommendations for agricultural practices tailored for individual zones.

In an embodiment, management zones are delineated within an agricultural field using a management zone creating pipeline.

FIG. 7 depicts an example embodiment of a management zone creation pipeline. The example depicts programmed processing steps and an algorithm for use in programming the instructions previously discussed in connection with FIG. 1 . Management zone creating pipeline 700 includes processing blocks for actions performed sequentially, in parallel or that are optional as further described in this section.

Block 701 represents program instructions for storing data representing transient and permanent characteristics of an agricultural field. The data may be stored at various data repositories, including server computers, databases, cloud storage systems, service providers, external data storage devices, and the like. Transient characteristics data may include yield data 701 a. Permanent characteristics data may be provided as soil maps 701 b, soil survey maps 701 c, topology maps 701 d, baresoil maps 701 e, and satellite images 701 f. Other information pertaining to the persistent characteristics of the soil and field may also be used.

Block 702 represents program instructions for receiving data. In block 702, data is received; for example, system 130 (FIG. 1 ) receives yield data and permanent characteristics data as part of the field data 106. The data may include historical yield maps at the field level or sub field level, and maps representing persistent characteristics of the soil. The maps represent spatial-temporal patterns for the sub-fields and are used to classify a field into regions with distinctive or different productivity potentials.

Data may be received from different sources such as research partners (RP), agencies, organizations, growers and others. Received data may include information about yield of crops harvested from an agricultural field within one year or multiple years. In an embodiment, yield data may also include metadata such as a field boundary, a field size, and a location of each sub-field within the field.

3.4.1. Preprocessing

Blocks 704, 706 and 708 represent program instructions for preprocessing, density processing and data smoothing of the received yield data. Instructions for blocks 704, 706 and 708 may be executed selectively, optionally, sequentially, or in parallel. The manner in which the tasks are performed can vary based on the implementation and the quality of received yield data. For example, some of the received data may need preprocessing but not smoothing. Other data may need only density processing. Selecting one or more of blocks 704, 706, 708 may be based on manual or machine-based inspection of the received data as part of block 702.

Preprocessing may comprise programmatically identifying and removing data items that are outliers, invalid, redundant, or collected outside of a field boundary. Preprocessing may also include identifying, and removing, the yield observations if multiple crops were planted within the field in the same season.

Block 704 represents program instructions for preprocessing received data. Preprocessing at block 704 may be performed, for example, because some of the data observations for a field were collected outside of corresponding field boundaries. The preprocessing may also be recommended when the data is provided from a field on which multiple crops were planted in the same season.

Preprocessing of the yield data may be performed to reduce noise observations from the yield observations, impute missing yield values to standardize the zone delineation step, and so forth. In an embodiment, received yield data is preprocessed to correct certain issues with the data. The preprocessing may include various types of data cleaning and filtering.

Preprocessing of yield data may include removing outliers from the yield data. Yield data may include sub-field yield observations that consist of various contaminations caused by unavoidable errors introduced by the way the crops are harvested, or by the way the yield data is collected or recorded. Removing of such errors or outliers effectively results in decontaminating the yield data.

In an embodiment, received yield data is analyzed to determine whether less than two years of yield maps for a field are provided. If less than two years of yield maps for a field are provided, then the yield maps are not included in the zone delineation.

Additional preprocessing and filtering of the data may be performed on yield data. An example is adjusting to account for grain moisture. Grain moisture adjustment allows correcting the yield data records for some fields and years that were harvested at a moisture level that is other than a standard moisture level such as 15.5% moisture.

Additional processing may be directed to correcting yield productivity data caused when the experimental yield data is provided. The additional processing may include correcting of yield data if the data was pre-smoothed by the data provider using undesired algorithms or parameters. This type of additional processing is recommended to reduce the effect of improperly smoothed yield data on the results of the management zones creation.

Additional preprocessing of the data may include transforming the data from latitude-longitude coordinates to Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and mapping onto a grid that has been defined for the field. A 10 m×10 m grid has been used in one embodiment. The mapping allows standardization of locations of the yield records within the field.

Preprocessing of permanent characteristics data may include adjusting the soil samples to the resolution of samples per acre that was reported in the longitude and latitude coordinate system if the received data was sampled in a different resolution, and programmatically projecting the soil samples data onto UTM coordinates. Missing sample values may be interpolated at the UTM coordinates from the available data using a Gaussian process model with a constant trend whose parameters are obtained with maximum likelihood estimation.

Elevation, CTI and slope data of the yield data may be obtained directly from maps or from property raster data. This may include extracting cell values of the elevation raster where a yield spatial point falls in. If no cell raster is found, then an indication of no values is returned.

After a projection of the coordinates of a spatial polygon to UTM coordinates is performed, the SSURGO polygons may be overplayed to the spatial locations of the yield data.

In projecting the image data onto the UTM coordinate system, values of the image data at the location points of the yield data may be obtained by rasterizing the yield data and the results may be transferred to the yield raster cells. If one cell of yield data is covered by multiple imagery bands' data points, then an arithmetic mean of the values may be used to associate with the raster cell.

Block 706 represents program instructions for density processing of received data. Data density processing may be performed to normalize the yield data across different crops and fields. In an embodiment, data density processing comprises using an empirical cumulative distribution function (ECDF) transformation, which may be performed on the yield records for each field and year so that the transformed yield data is within a certain range across different crops and fields. For example, the ECDF may be applied to the received yield data to transform the data into transformed yield data in the range of [0, 1]. Once the yield data is transformed, the transformed yield data may be compared across different years and crops, such as corn, soy, or wheat.

3.4.2. Spatial Smoothing

Spatial smoothing is performed to remove measurement noises in raw yield observations and reduce unnecessary fragmentation of delineated management zones and may be performed using approaches such as a kernel-smoother, or a stationary Gaussian process. Data smoothing may be performed on either raw data or processed data depending on the quality of the received raw data.

A kernel smoother is a statistical technique for estimating a function by using its noise observations when no parametric model for the function is known. The resulting estimated function is usually smooth and may be used to remove the noise observations from a set of observations, such as the yield data. In an embodiment, kernel smoothers that are reliable and useful nonparametric estimators are selected to perform the spatial smoothing of the yield data. Examples of kernel smoothers that can be used to smooth the yield data include: Gaussian kernel, inverse distance weighting kernel, rectangular kernel, triangular kernel, bi-square kernel, tri-cube kernel, tri-weight kernel, etc. Besides their standard parameterization, all of them have a scale parameter h and a span parameter H such that the distance between yield data observations may be scaled and the observations that are more than H away from the destination point may be omitted in the smoothing process.

Block 708 represents program instructions for smoothing received data. Data smoothing may include testing whether any yield data records are missing, whether the yield data records need to be further smoothed, or whether certain yield data records need to be removed or interpolated.

3.4.3. Normalization

In an embodiment, received data is normalized by transformation to a particular data range and the management zone delineation process may include using programmed instructions to transform yield data to generate transformed yield data. Transforming the yield data may comprise applying an empirical cumulative density function (ECDF) to the yield data to normalize the data to a certain range, such as a range of [0, 1]. The transformed yield data may be comparable across different years and types of crops. For example, the ECDF may allow transforming, or normalizing, yield records for each field and year, regardless of the crop type and the collection time, to a range of [0, 1], so that the transformed data may be comparable with each other.

ECDF transformation may be used to transform the yield data into the transformed yield data. Application of ECDF to the yield data may cause transforming the yield data records to transformed yield data records, each of which falls within a particular range. Applying ECDF to the yield data causes normalizing the yield data so that the normalized yield data is comparable across different years and crops, such as corn, soy, and wheat.

3.4.4. Clustering

Clustering is performed on data representing transient and permanent characteristic of an agricultural field to determine a plurality of cluster labels associated with pixels represented by the preprocessed data. In an embodiment, k-means clustering may be used. In the final step, zones with smaller sizes than s, which is set by configuration data or input, are merged into their most similar large neighboring zones.

In block 710, preprocessed data representing transient and permanent characteristic of an agricultural field is used to delineate a set of management zones for an agricultural field. The set of delineated management zones may be represented using stored digital zone data, and created by applying centroid-based approaches, such as the K-means approach, or a fuzzy C-means approach. Details of these approaches are described further herein in connection with FIG. 8 . The process executed in block 710 may be repeated, as depicted by arrow 712, one or more times until the quality of the created management zones is satisfactory. The process may be repeated using different criteria, different parameters, or different parameter values.

To address the goal of compactness that was previously discussed, block 714, a set of delineated management zones is analyzed to determine whether some of the zones may be merged. For example, a set of delineated management zones may be analyzed to identify small zones and to determine whether the small zones may be merged with neighboring larger zones. Small zones may be identified automatically by a computer system, or manually by a user of the computer system. For example, the computer system may display information about the set of first management zones to a crop grower in a graphical user interface that is programmed with widgets or controls to allow the grower to remove undesirable fragmented small zones, or to merge the fragmented small zones with larger zones. Merging of zones results in obtaining a set of merged management zones. If small zones cannot be identified in a set of delineated management zones, then the set of delineated management zones is provided to block 718.

The process executed in block 714 may be repeated one or more times until no small zones are identified in the set of management zones. The process may be repeated using different criteria, different parameters, or different parameter values.

In block 718, a set of management zones is post-processed. Post-processing of the management zones may include eliminating the zones that are fragmented or unusable.

The process executed in block 718 may be repeated one or more times until the quality of created management zones is satisfactory. The process may be repeated using different criteria, different parameters, or different parameter values.

In an embodiment, metadata about the created management zones is stored. Furthermore, a test may be performed to determine whether the process of delineating management zones needs to be repeated. If the delineation process is to be repeated, then the delineating of the management zones is repeated in block 710.

3.4.4.1. Identifying Management Zones

In an embodiment, the management zone delineation process is performed for different values of a management class count. A management class refers to areas in a field that have relatively homogeneous yield limiting factors, but that are not restricted to be spatially contiguous. In concept, several management zones which are spatially separated from each other could belong to the same management class and could be operated in the same manner.

FIG. 8 depicts an example method for creating management zones for an agricultural field. In step 810, a first count value for a management class count of a plurality of management classes is determined. Selecting a first count value for the management classes may include selecting a number of management classes that has been shown in the past to be an optimal number of classes for creating the zones. A count of management classes corresponds to a tuning parameter described above.

An optimal number of management classes may be found using a variety of approaches. According to one approach, an optimal number of management classes is selected by using all years of training yield maps at once. In this approach, a clustering algorithm is applied to the smoothed training yield maps with different number of classes and for each class. Then a training zone-quality measure for each class numbers is determined and used to identify an optimal number of classes.

According to another approach, an optimal number of management classes is selected by carrying out a leave-one-year-out cross-validation approach for training yield maps.

Once a first count value is determined for a count of a plurality of classes, a first set of management zones is generated in step 820. The first set of management zones may be generated, for example, using a management zone delineation process that is performed using either a clustering approach or a region merging approach. Examples of a clustering approach may include centroid-based multivariate clustering approaches, such as a K-means approach and a fuzzy C-means approach. Examples of a region merging approaches may include agglomerative region merging approaches, such as a hierarchical region-based segmentation approach.

3.4.4.2. K-Means Approach

In an embodiment, the management zone delineation process is implemented using the K-means approach, which aims to partition a set of yield data observations into k clusters in which each observation belongs to the cluster with the nearest mean. A benefit of using the K-means approach in the management zone delineation process is its simplicity, but K-means does not consider spatial locations of the yield data observations within the field. As a result, a direct output from K-means clustering is the management class labels of each pixel i, and some additional steps may be needed to identify spatially contiguous zones. Moreover, it is recommended to use well preprocessed yield maps before using the K-means approach. If the yield maps are insufficiently preprocessed, then the results produced by the K-means approach may include many fragmented small zones.

3.4.4.3. Region Merging Approach

In an embodiment, the management zone delineation process is programmed to use hierarchical region-based segmentation. In this approach, two zones are neighboring to each other if, and only if, at least one pair of pixels between the two zones are neighboring pixels based on the nearest 4-neighbor rule.

A benefit of the region merging approach is that it utilizes a spatial location of the yield observations when creating the management zones. The approach is expected to generate spatially contiguous zones naturally unless the dissimilarity threshold is set too strict or the yield maps are too rough. In addition, as the dissimilarity threshold e is a continuous tuning parameter, as opposed to k, which takes only positive integers in K-means or fuzzy C-means, the hierarchical region merging algorithm may have more flexibility to fine tune the resulting zone delineation, and satisfy the diverse needs from different growers.

Another benefit of the region merging approach is that the region merging algorithm generates zone labels directly without class labels.

However, although the region merging approach may not include an additional processing to present management zones, some post processing of the zone properties may be recommended.

In step 830, a test is performed to determine whether a count of management classes is to be changed. If the count is to be changed, then step 840 is performed. Otherwise, steps described in FIG. 9 are performed.

In step 890, a second count value for a count of management classes from among a plurality of management classes is determined, and steps 870-880 are repeated for the second count value.

3.4.5. Post-Processing

In an embodiment, a set of management zones is post-processed, for example, to clean small isolated zones to make sure all zones are spatially contiguous and have reasonable sizes. Post-processing may also be performed to remove small fragmented zones. Even with spatial smoothing of the yield maps during the yield data preprocessing phase, the set of management zones may include small fragmented zones that may be difficult to manage individually.

In an embodiment, a test is performed to determine whether a size of a zone is smaller than a user-defined threshold s. If the size of the zone is smaller than the threshold s, then the zone is merged with its most similar neighboring large zone that is larger than the small zone. The zone/class label of the large zone may be assigned to the merged zone.

If the class labels are obtained from the K-means or fuzzy C-means approaches, however, then two additional steps may be performed. For example, before zone cleaning, a set of zones may be constructed based on the class labels and the spatial location of pixels so that the size and neighboring zones of each management zone may be identified. After the zone cleaning, the class labels may be recovered from the constructed set, and the additional zone merges may be performed.

FIG. 9 depicts a method for management zones post-processing. In step 910, a test is performed to determine if any small zone is present next to a large zone in a set of management zones.

If in step 920 it is determined that no small zone next to a large zone is present in a set of management zones, then in step 930, the set of management zones is stored. The set of management zones may be stored in a storage device, a memory unit, a cloud storage service, or any other storage device. The set of management zones may be used to determine seeding recommendations for growers, for research purposes, and for providing information to other agencies.

However, if in step 920 it is determined that at least one small zone is present next to a large zone in a set of management zones, then the small zones are merged with their respective large zones.

Merging of the zones may be performed for each identified small zone, as indicated in steps 950-960. Once all identified small zones are merged with their respective large zones, in step 970 the resulting set of merged management zones is stored. The set of merged management zones may be stored in a storage device, a memory unit, a cloud storage service, or any other storage device. The set of management zones may be used to determine seeding recommendations for growers, for research purposes, and for providing information to other agencies.

3.5. Performance Considerations

Accuracy of delineating management zones in an agricultural field can be increased with additional data. For example, assuming that the quality of the yield maps is comparable from year to year, the quality and accuracy of the approach increases proportionally to the number of yield maps from different years provided to the system. Hence, for a given field, the more years of yield maps are provided, the higher the quality and accuracy of management zone delineation may be.

4. Usefulness of Management Zone Delineation

Using the techniques described herein, a computer can determine a plurality of management zones based on digital data representing historical yields harvested from an agricultural field. The techniques can enable computers to determine the contiguous regions that have similar limiting factors influencing the harvested yields of crops. The presented techniques can also enable the agricultural intelligence computing system to automatically generate recommendations for crop growers with respect to seeding, irrigation, application of fertilizers such as nitrogen, and/or harvesting.

Presented techniques can enable the agricultural intelligence computing system to save computational resources, such as data storage, computing power, and computer memory of the system, by implementing a programmable pipeline configured to automatically determine management zones for a field based on digital data. The programmable pipeline can automatically generate recommendations and alerts for farmers, insurance companies, and researchers, thereby allowing for a more effective agricultural management in the seeding schedules, operations of agricultural equipment, and application of chemicals to fields, protection of crops and other tangible steps in the management of agricultural field. Management zones created based on historical yield data may be particularly useful in certain agricultural practices, such as selecting a seeding rate. For example, information about the created management zones may be used to generate recommendations for crop growers. The recommendations may pertain to seed and seeding selections. Selecting a recommended seeding rate based on the identified management zones may be very helpful in increasing harvested yields.

5. Example Application for Delineating Management Zones and Generating Recommendations

The management zone delineation approach described herein may be widely implemented in a variety of agricultural applications. For example, the approach may be integrated with computer-based tools that a grower may use to optimize his agronomic practices. The approach may be implemented in an application that generates a graphical user interface for a user, and displays recommendations and strategy options to the grower.

In an embodiment, a process of delineating management zones for an agricultural field is implemented in an interactive computer-based tool. The tool may provide a user with the interactivity in terms of providing functionalities for selecting an agricultural field, requesting and receiving graphical representations of management zones delineated for the field, requesting and receiving recommendations for agronomic practices for the management zones, and modifying the obtained recommendations.

A management zone delineation tool may be implemented as a graphical user interface that is configured to receive from a user a selection of an agricultural field and execute a management zone delineation algorithm based on the received input. The graphical user interface may be configured to generate graphical representations of the delineated zones, display the generated graphical representations of the zones, and interact with the user to generate recommendation options.

In an embodiment, a management zone delineation application is configured to allow growers to create manual scripts that contain settings and parameters to specify details for delineating management zones. The application may also provide a set of predefined script scenarios and made the set available to the grower. The scenarios may include a scenario that provides information about for example, predicted yield if the grower does not change their current agronomic practice. Another scenario may provide recommendations for achieving the best economic results. Other scenario may include a scenario providing recommendations for achieving maximum yield from the field. These example scenarios may allow a grower to compare different agronomic practices in reference to the field, compare yield results if the different practices are applied, and ultimately choose the recommendations or scenario that best matches their goals. Example of an application implementing the management zone delineation and recommendation generator is the Script Creator from The Climate Corporation.

5.1. Example Uses and Operations

In an embodiment, an application that integrates a management zone delineation approach and agronomic recommendation generator is configured to allow a grower to quickly and easily generate scripts for obtaining the recommendations for the zones delineated for the grower's field. A script, or a prescription, is a set of recommendations generated by the application for a grower. A script may be generated based on input provided by a user and including a set of settings that the application may use to delineate management zones and generate the recommendations. The settings may include values for a count of management zones to be delineated, an identifier of the seeds to be sown, expected yield, a seeding range, and the like.

In an embodiment, a zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to generate one or more personalized scripts for a particular agricultural field. The scripts may reflect goals and risk tolerance specified by a grower.

FIG. 10 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to delineate management zones and generate agronomic practice recommendations. The example screen snapshot 1000 may be generated by executing instructions that provide interactivity between a user and the application. A typical user of the application is a grower who cultivates an agricultural field. Executing the instructions may allow a grower to import 1002 certain information about an agricultural field to the application. Executing the instructions may also allow a grower to request 1004 an interactive tool that would allow the grower to define and display in the graphical user interface one or more planting plans for an agricultural field of the grower. Executing the instruction may also cause generating and displaying one or more scripts recommended for an agricultural field, allowing a grower to select one or more scripts from the displayed scripts, and displaying recommendations associated with the selected scripts.

In terms of importing 1004 information to a zone management delineation and prescription application, the application may be configured to allow a grower to import the soil information to the application and link the imported information with the delineated zones. The application may further be configured to retrieve and use management zones information from for example, the SSURGO maps, zones delineation generated by a grower in the past, old prescription, and any type of information that the grower used in the past to delineate management zones. For example, a grower may be prompted to provide information about the type of seeds he plans to sow on his field. To facilitate entering the information, a pull-out menu 1022 may be provided to allow the grower to make the selection.

A grower may also be presented with a pull-out menu 1024 that allows the grower to search for the types of seeds, including hybrids and the like. Furthermore, a grower may be presented with an text field for entering for example, a target yield amount 1032 expected from in a given year, a lowest seeding rate 1034 usually planted in the field, an average seeding rate 1036 usually planted in the field, and a highest seeding rate usually planted in the field.

The application may also allow a grower to navigate through a data entering screens. For example, the application may be configured to allow a grower to go back 1042 to a screen with the previously entered information, or to go forward 1044 and enter additional information. The application may also be configured to allow a grower to reset the previously provided settings and information.

5.2. Example Workflow

FIG. 11 depicts an example method for delineating management zones and generating prescriptions. The example method may be implemented in an application executed on a computer device, such as a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, a PDA, or other computer device.

In an embodiment, an application includes instructions for a graphical user interface generator, a delineator, and a prescriptor. The graphical user interface generator may be configured to generate and display a graphical user interface on a display of a computer device, receive input from a user, and display results generated by the delineator and the prescriptor. The delineator may be configured to generate management zones for an agricultural field and based on data provided by a user. The prescriptor may be configured to generate prescriptions for agricultural practices and recommendations designed to achieve goals set forth by the user for the user's agricultural field.

In step 1102, a graphical user interface is generated and displayed on a display of a computer device of a grower. An example graphical user interface is depicted in FIG. 10 . The graphical user interface may be implemented as a webpage of a website which the grower may access via the Internet. The webpage may include various interactive buttons, icons and pull-out menus for providing data to the application configured to execute the method for delineating management zones and generating prescriptions. The grower may use the interactive buttons, icons and menus to provide values of parameters to be used by the delineator and the prescriptor.

In step 1104, values for one or more parameters for a delineator and/or a prescriptor are received via a graphical user interface from a grower. For example, the values may specify an agricultural field for which delineation of management zones is requested. The values may also specify the grower's objectives in terms of expected profits, amounts and types of seeds for the field, the seeding rates, and the like. Examples of the parameters are described in FIG. 10 .

In step 1106, values received via a graphical user interface are used to initiate a delineator that is configured to generate a plurality of management zones based on, at least in part, the values provided by a grower.

In step 1108, a test is performed to determine whether a grower tries to provide any additional values for one or more parameters for a delineator and/or a prescriptor. For example, the grower might provide some additional values for additional parameters, or modify the already provided values. Furthermore, the grower may request resetting the values to default values provided by the application, or may import the values from the grower's files, publicly available databases, the grower's previous configurations, and the like.

If it is determined that a grower is trying to provide additional values for parameters for the delineator and/or a prescriptor, then in step 1110, the additional values for the parameters are received via a graphical user interface, and step 1106 is performed.

However, if it is determined that no additional values are provided, then in step 1112, a plurality of delineated management zones is generated and a plurality of planting plans is generated. The management zones may be determined by a delineator based on, at least in part, values provided for example, by a grower via a graphical user interface. The planting plans may be generated by a prescriptor based on, at least in part, the values provided by the grower. The planting plans may be customized for the individual management zones and based on the goals and objectives specified by a grower. Examples of delineated management zones and planting plans are described in FIG. 12 .

FIG. 12 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to display examples of management zones and examples of planting plans. The example interface shows three examples of management zones delineated for a particular agricultural field; however, the approach is not limited to displaying three examples. The approach may allow specifying a count of ways a particular field may be divided into management zones. For example, a user may specify that he would like to see the best two ways of dividing the particular field into zones. The user may also specify that he would like to see the best three ways, or the best four ways, of dividing the field into zones, and so forth.

The examples depicted in FIG. 12 include a first set of management zones 1210, a second set of management zones 1212, and a third set of management zones 1214. First set of management zones 1210 includes zone 2 (element 1232), zone 3 (element 1234), zone 4 (element 1236), and zone 5 (element 1238). Second set of management zones 1212 includes zone 1 (element 1230) zone 2 (element 1232), zone 3 (element 1234), zone 4 (element 1236), and zone 5 (element 1238). Third set of management zones 1214 includes zone 1 (element 1230) zone 2 (element 1232), zone 3 (element 1234), zone 4 (element 1236), and zone 5 (element 1238). The zones are graphically represented using different shadings or colors. Distribution and count of the zones for other fields may be different than that depicted in FIG. 12 .

In addition to graphical representations of delineated management zones, planting plans and/or expected yields for each management zones arrangement may be provided. The additional information may indicate a relationship between a particular planting approach and expected yield. For example, for first set of management zones 1210, additional information may include an average seed population 1240, a count of bags of seeds 1242, and a relationship between the seed population and the expected yield. The relationship may be represented using a two-dimensional graph; although other ways of representing the relationship may also be employed. The graph depicted in FIG. 12 includes a horizontal axis 1260 labelled as a seed population, and a vertical axis 1250 labelled as a target yield. The data points obtained for various values of the seed populations are depicted as a first data point 1252, a second data point 1254, and a third data point 1256. Other ways of depicting the data points for the relation between the seed populations and yields may also be implemented.

A grower may analyze data displayed in FIG. 12 , to compare the three different ways of delineating management zones, and compare the expected yields generated for the different ways of delineating management zones, respectively. Furthermore, the grower may for example, decide to adjust some of the initial values. To do so, the grower may select an icon 1270 that is labelled as “Previous,” and provide additional values for parameters and modify some of the already provided values.

A grower may also select one from the three sets 1210, 1212, 1214, and request agricultural prescription that if implemented to the selected management zone set would allow achieving the goals indicated for the selected set.

A selection of a particular delineated management set, from a plurality of available delineated management sets may be performed in many ways. One way is depicted in FIG. 13 .

FIG. 13 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to enable requesting a prescription for a selected planting plan. The example interface shows three examples of management zones delineated for a particular agricultural field; however, the approach is not limited to displaying three examples. The displayed sets correspond to three different ways, or options, of delineating management zones for the same field. For each option, some additional information may be provided.

Three examples depicted in FIG. 13 include a first set of management zones 1310, a second set of management zones 1312, and a third set of management zones 1314. First set of management zones 1310 includes zone 2 (element 1332), zone 3 (element 1334), zone 4 (element 1336), and zone 5 (element 1338). Second set of management zones 1312 includes zone 1 (element 1330) zone 2 (element 1332), zone 3 (element 1334), zone 4 (element 1336), and zone 5 (element 1338). Third set of management zones 1314 includes zone 1 (element 1330) zone 2 (element 1332), zone 3 (element 1334), zone 4 (element 1336), and zone 5 (element 1338). The zones are graphically represented using different shadings or colors. Each set of delineated management zones may include additional information. For example, the additional information for first set of management zones 1210 may include an average seed population 1340, and a count of bags of seeds 1342.

In an embodiment, a graphical user interface may include buttons, radio buttons, icons or other types of selectors for selecting an option from the options displayed on the interface. In the example depicted in FIG. 13 , the graphical user interface includes buttons labelled as “option 1,” “option 2,” and “option 3.” A grower may select any of the option buttons to select the option, and therefore indicate a particular set of delineated management zones for which the grower is requested an agronomic prescription.

Referring again to FIG. 11 , in step 1114, a test is performed to determine whether any of a plurality of management zones options has been selected by a grower. If in step 1116 it is determined that a particular set of delineated management zones is selected, then step 1118 is performed. Otherwise, step 1122 is performed.

In step 1118, a prescriptor is invoked to generate a prescription for a selected management zone option. In an embodiment, a prescription corresponds to a planting plan and indicates recommendations for achieving certain goals. In this step, the prescriptor may generate one or more prescriptions for the grower. The prescriptions may provide recommendations for achieving different goals.

In an embodiment, the zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to generate one or more personalized scripts for a particular agricultural field. The scripts may reflect goals and risk tolerance specified by a grower. The application may also generate recommendations based on two or more scripts, and thus allow a grower to compare the impact of different goals on the grower's script, and select the recommendations that suit the grower the best.

In an embodiment, the zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to allow a grower to generate a script that maximizes the Return on Investment (ROI) that the grower might receive based on profits generated from his field. The application may also allow a grower to determine recommendation for seeding population for maximizing the profits and obtained by weighing costs and risk against potential yield increases. The application may also allow a grower to enter an expected seed price in terms of dollars per thousand count of seeds, or in terms of dollars per a bag of seeds.

Furthermore, a grower may specify his expected market price in terms of dollars per bushel. He may also request generating a script that maximizes yield if a given hybrid of seeds is planted on the grower's field. The grower may also request creating a script that represents his existing business practices.

Referring again to FIG. 11 , in step 1120, one or more prescriptions is generated and displayed for a grower. The prescriptions may be displayed using a graphical user interface. The prescriptions may be displayed in such a way that the grower may compare across the displayed prescription, and clearly see the differences between the scripts. The comparison may include information about a seed population range, a target yield range, a total count of bags of seed, and a population map with a fixed legend. Examples of different prescription are depicted in FIG. 14 .

FIG. 14 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to display examples of management zones and examples of planting plans. The example interface shows three examples of management zones sets delineated for a particular agricultural field. However, the approach is not limited to displaying three examples. The displayed sets correspond to three different ways, or options, of delineating management zones for the same field. For each option, some additional information may be provided. The additional information may include planting plans or recommendations for achieving certain agricultural goals.

Three examples depicted in FIG. 14 include three options for delineating a particular agricultural field. Any of the options may be selected using for example a selection or radio button. For example, a first set of management zones may be selected by pointing to a button 1410, a second set of management zones may be selected by pointing to a button 1412, and a third set of management zones may be selected by pointing to a button 1414. The first set of management zones includes zone 2 (element 1432), zone 3 (element 1434), zone 4 (element 1436), and zone 5 (element 1438). The second set of management zones includes zone 1 (element 1430) zone 2 (element 1432), zone 3 (element 1434), zone 4 (element 1436), and zone 5 (element 1438). The third set of management zones includes zone 1 (element 1430) zone 2 (element 1432), zone 3 (element 1434), zone 4 (element 1436), and zone 5 (element 1438). The zones may be graphically represented using different shadings or colors.

Each of the management zones sets displayed for a user may be selected for the user based on certain criteria. For example, the first set may be selected for the user based on the information corresponding to the current agricultural practice. Therefore, this plan may be referred to as a current plan. The second set may be selected for the user to provide the user with a planting plan to maximize the revenue and recommendations to allow the user to reach a revenue maximizing goal. The third set may be selected for the user to provide the user with a planting plan to maximize the yield and to provide the planting plan to allow the user to reach a yield maximizing goal.

In an embodiment, a user may select one of management zones sets displayed in a GUI. In the example depicted in FIG. 14 , a user selected a third set by pointing to a radio-type button 1414 displayed next to the third set. In response to receiving the particular selection, the GUI may display additional information, including recommendations for the user to help the user to achieve a certain goal. Additional information may also include data representing expected yield, cost and revenue. Furthermore, the additional information for the third set of management zones 1414 may include information about a target yield 1420, a type of hybrid seed selection 1422, an expected process of corn 1424, a seed cost per bag 1426, a seed cost per bag 1434 and a seed cost total 1436.

Referring again to FIG. 11 , in step 1122, a test is performed to determine whether a grower requested any modification of values used by a delineator and/or prescriptor. If in step 1124, it is determined that no modification to the values of one or more parameters have been requested, then step 1114 is performed. However, if it is determined that some modifications are requested, then step 1104 is performed.

5.3. Example of Auto Scripting

A zone management delineation and recommendations application may be configured to provide an autoscript option. An autoscript option is a functionality of the application that allows the user to request a prescription for the agricultural practice. For example, the application may be configured to allow the user to modify the parameters used by the application and request that the application generate a management zone delineation map and recommendations. The application may also be configured to allow the user to fine tune prescriptions generated by the application.

In an embodiment, the zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to allow a grower to use an autoscript option. An autoscript option allows the grower to request that at least the best three prescriptions be generated for the grower automatically. Furthermore, the grower may request that the autoscript option be selected for the grower each time the grower is using the application.

Furthermore, a grower may select a particular source of data to be used by the application. For example, a grower may trust the SSURGO soil map more than my yield data. Therefore, the grower may be able to indicate that the data from the SSURGO soil map be used to fill in each field when an autoscript option is invoked, or when the grower manually requests a script, or when the grower requests an old prescription.

In an embodiment, the zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to allow a grower to exclude certain years of yield data from the calculation, provided that a sufficient amount of data from other years is available to perform the calculations.

Furthermore, the application may be configured to allow a grower to include customized population recommendations for a specific type of seeds or crops. For example, the application may be configured to include customized population recommendations for a set of certified Monsanto hybrids. Monsanto hybrids referred to all hybrids which have been subjected to GENV testing and for which data models exists for generating the recommendations. Examples of Monsanto hybrids include the brands such as Dekalb, Channel, Regional Brands, and products from Agreliant and Croplan.

5.4. Example of Manual Scripting

A zone management delineation and recommendations application may be configured to provide a manual scripting option. A manual scripting option is a functionality of the application that allows the user to customize parameters used by the application. Customization may include manually fine tuning for example, a count class, management zone delineation options, and prescriptions generated by the application for an agricultural field. For example, the application may be configured to allow the user to modify the parameters used by the application and fine tune management zone delineation options and recommendations. For example, the application may also be configured to allow a user to fine tune parameters of the management zone delineation algorithm, request regenerating management zone delineation options, and request regenerating prescriptions for the options.

FIG. 15 is a screen snapshot of an example graphical user interface configured to allow a user to customize planting plan. It is assumed here that a user has already selected a particular management zone delineation option 1570. The delineation option 1570 depicts a particular agricultural field divided into a set of management zones. The set includes a zone 1 labelled as 1530, a zone 2 labelled as 1532, a zone 3 labelled as 1532, a zone 4 labelled as 1536 and a zone 5 labelled as 1538.

In an embodiment, a zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to provide functionalities that allow a user to merge zones by selecting a “merge zones” button 1550, split zones by selecting a “split zones” button 1552, draw/save/cancel a shape within a management zones set by selecting a “draw shape” button 1554, drop a square by selecting a “drop square” option 1556, and drop a pivot by selecting an option “drop pivot” 1558. Other options may also be implemented by the zone management delineation and recommendations application.

In an embodiment, the zone management delineation and recommendations application is configured to allow a user to manually generate a script. An example of the process for manually generating a script is depicted in FIG. 15 . The process for manually generating a script may be facilitated using a GUI.

Using the functionalities of a GUI, a user may indicate the name of the data file that the user wants to import to the application. For example, the user may provide a name 1510 of the data file containing corn yield data. Furthermore, the user may indicate the type 1512 of seeds to be used. Moreover, the user may indicate whether any liquid 1514 is to be used, and which zones 1516, 1518 are to be used. The user may also type in the expected target yield 1520 and the expected seed population 1522 for one of the zones, and the expected target yield 1524 and the expected seed population 1524 for another zone, and so forth. In response to receiving the user's input, the application may be generate a prescription for the user. The information may be displayed if a user selects for example, a summary icon 1546. Additional information, such as an average seed population 1542 and a count of bags with seeds 1544 may also be displayed in a GUI for a user.

6. Extensions and Alternatives

In an embodiment, a process for delineating management zones for an agricultural field is enhanced by taking into consideration not only the historical yield maps, but also weather forecast information. In this approach, the weather information may be used to provide explanations for inconsistencies in yield observations recoded in the historical yield maps.

A process for delineating management zones for a field may be enhanced by providing information about soil properties and topographical properties of individual zones delineated in a field. Usually, permanent soil and topographical properties play an important role in determining sub-field yield variability, and sometimes may be more important than transient factors such as weather.

Accuracy of results generated by a process for delineating management zones may be improved by providing sufficient historical yield data or sub-field yield maps to the system. The accuracy of the generated results may also be improved when the historical yield data is provided in a particular data format or is particularly preprocessed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: using instructions programmed in a computer system, determining a plurality of management zone delineation options, wherein each of the plurality of management zone delineation options has a different count of zones; wherein determining the plurality of management zone delineation options includes determining a plurality of count values for a management class count and generating a management zone delineation option for each count value; and wherein generating the management zone delineation option for each count value includes clustering yield data and field characteristics data for an agricultural field based on the count value; selecting two or more options from the plurality of management zone delineation options, and determining one or more planting plans for each of the two or more options; and using a presentation layer of the computer system, generating and causing displaying on a computing device a graphical representation of the two or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and a graphical representation of the one or more planting plans associated with each of the two or more options.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, comprises zone layout digital data for a management zone delineation option that covers an agricultural field; and wherein generating the management zone delineation option for each count value further includes generating said management zone delineation option to cover the agricultural field and including the management zone delineation option, which covers the agricultural field, in the plurality of management zone delineation options.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving one or more of: zone merging instructions, zone splitting instructions, zone modification instructions, seed selection instructions, target yield instructions, or historical seed planting instructions; and using the instructions programmed in the computer system, based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions, determining for each option from the two or more options, interrelations between target yields and planting recommendations, and displaying the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device, wherein the computing device includes a cab computer of an agricultural apparatus.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: using the instructions programmed in the computer system, based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions and a cost of seeds, determining for each option from the two or more options, the interrelations between target yields, planting recommendations and planting costs, and displaying the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device.
 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising: using the instructions programmed in the computer system, based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions, the seed selection instructions, and a cost of seeds, determining for each option from the two or more options, the interrelations between target yields, planting recommendations and planting costs, and displaying the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device.
 6. The method of claim 3, further comprising: using the instructions programmed in the computer system, determining a second plurality of management zone delineation options; determining one or more second criteria; and based on the one or more second criteria, selecting one or more second options from the second plurality of management zone delineation options.
 7. The method of claim 2, further comprising, using the instructions, and based upon the two or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and the one or more planting plans associated with the two or more options, causing driving one or more of: a seeding apparatus, an irrigation apparatus, an apparatus for application of fertilizers such as nitrogen, or a harvesting apparatus to perform, respectively, seeding, irrigation, application of fertilizers, and/or harvesting of the agricultural field according to an options from the two or more options.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: using instructions programmed in the computer system: receiving the yield data representing yields of crops that have been harvested from the agricultural field, and the field characteristics data representing one or more characteristics of the agricultural field; and pre-processing the yield data and the field characteristics data, prior to clustering the yield data and the field characteristics data, by: generating transformed data by applying an empirical cumulative density function to the yield data and the field characteristics data; and generating smooth transformed data by smoothing the transformed yield data and transformed field characteristic data; wherein clustering the yield data and the field characteristics data includes clustering the smooth transformed yield data and the smooth transformed field characteristics data.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the field characteristics data for the agricultural field comprises one or more of: soil property data, topographical properties data, one or more soil survey geographical database maps, one or more baresoil maps, or one or more satellite images; wherein the soil property data comprises soil measurement data; wherein the topographical properties data comprises elevation and elevation associated properties data.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, using the instructions programmed in the computer system, post-processing the plurality of management zone delineation options by merging one or more small management zones, included in the plurality of management zone delineation options, with their respective neighboring large zones into a plurality of merged zones zone delineation options.
 11. A data processing system comprising: a memory; one or more processors coupled to the memory and programmed to: determine a plurality of count values for a management class; determine a plurality of management zone delineation options, by generating a management zone delineation option for each of the plurality of count values, based on clustering yield data and field characteristics data for an agricultural field based on the count value, wherein each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, has a different count of zones; select two or more options from the plurality of management zone delineation options, and determine one or more planting plans for each of the two or more options; and generate and cause displaying on a computing device a graphical representation of the two or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and a graphical representation of the one or more planting plans associated with each of the two or more options.
 12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein each option, of the plurality of management zone delineation options, comprises digital data for a management zone delineation option that covers an agricultural field; and wherein the plurality of management zone delineation options is determined by: generating each management zone delineation option to cover the agricultural field and including ones of the management zone delineation options, which cover the agricultural field, in the plurality of management zone delineation options.
 13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: receive one or more of: zone merging instructions, zone splitting instructions, zone modification instructions, seed selection instructions, target yield instructions, or historical seed planting instructions; and based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions, determine for each option from the two or more options, interrelations between target yields and planting recommendations, and display the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device.
 14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions and a cost of seeds, determine for each option from the two or more options, the interrelations between target yields, planting recommendations and planting costs, and display the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device.
 15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: based upon the two or more options of the plurality of management zone delineation options and the one or more planting plans associated with the two or more options, cause driving one or more of: a seeding apparatus, an irrigation apparatus, an apparatus for application of fertilizers such as nitrogen, or a harvesting apparatus to perform, respectively, seeding, irrigation, application of fertilizers, and/or harvesting of the agricultural field according to an options from the two or more options.
 16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: based on, at least in part, the target yield instructions, the seed selection instructions, and a cost of seeds, determine for each option from the two or more options, the interrelations between target yields, planting recommendations and planting costs, and display the interrelations in a graphical form on the computing device.
 17. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: determine a second plurality of management zone delineation options; determine one or more second criteria; and based on the one or more second criteria, select one or more second options from the second plurality of management zone delineation options.
 18. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: receive the yield data representing yields of crops that have been harvested from the agricultural field, and the field characteristics data representing one or more characteristics of the agricultural field; and pre-process the yield data and the field characteristics data, prior to clustering the yield data and the field characteristics data, by: generating transformed data by applying an empirical cumulative density function to the yield data and the field characteristics data; generating smooth transformed data by smoothing the transformed data; and then, generating the plurality of management zone delineation options based on clustering the smooth transformed data.
 19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the field characteristics data for the agricultural field comprises one or more of: soil property data, topographical properties data, one or more soil survey geographical database maps, one or more baresoil maps, or one or more satellite images; wherein the soil property data comprises soil measurement data; wherein the topographical properties data comprises elevation and elevation associated properties data.
 20. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to: post-process the plurality of management zone delineation options by merging one or more small management zones, included in the plurality of management zone delineation options, with their respective neighboring large zones into a plurality of merged zones zone delineation options. 